(09) We are all in the same boat: opportunities and challenges of humanitarian inclusion, vulnerable and marginalised groups on digital technologies, Dr. Heyla Selim
Dr. Heyla A Selim
King Saud University, Riyadh
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Email: halsleem@ksu.edu.sa
DOI: 10.47556/J.WJEMSD.19.3-4.2023.9
PURPOSE: Fostering diversity and equality to encourage the involvement and integration of a society’s groups is a major goal of social cohesion. Social media has a significant impact on the way we interact socially, so it is crucial to reflect on how it aligns with wider social cohesion goals. Social media can contribute to positive cross-cultural and intergroup interactions, enhance feelings of belonging, and enable self-expression. However, disparities in technology access and digital literacy can lead to the exclusion of some groups from fully participating online. Additionally, hostile and harmful experiences on social
media can further deepen current divisions and impede social cohesion.
DESIGN: This paper, drawing on concepts of social identity and cultural diversity and examining examples of vulnerable or marginalised groups in society, examines the prospects and difficulties of social cohesion in the digital age.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Areas of priority for promoting social cohesion are addressed, with an emphasis on e-inclusion, digital citizenship, research, and policy.
KEYWORDS: Social Cohesion; Social Media; Social Inclusion; E-Inclusion; Social Exclusion; Cultural Diversity; Social
Identity; Online Shared Identity; Digital Inequality; Digital Citizenship.
